"This is where you wanted to go?"
Raphtalia nodded at Aris. "Yes. This is...This is where it all happened. Idol imprisoned his Demi-Human slaves down there. He...He tortured them for his own sick pleasure."
"How do you know that?" asked Cloud.
"I was one of them."
Cloud fell silent.
"It's not too late," said Loretta. "We don't have to go down there if you don't want to."
"I do want to," Raphtalia assured her. "Like I said before, I'm not running from my past. I'm going to face it head-on."
She led the descent down into the dungeon.
The iron door of the dungeon opened with the squeal of rusted hinges. Aris nearly had to cover his ears.
Sora clenched his stomach. "Being down here...where people were tortured just because they were different..."
"I get you," said Cloud. "Makes me wanna throw up too."
Everyone followed Raphtalia inside. The only source of light was from the pale moon outside, shining through barred windows in the walls.
Chains and shackles hung from the ceiling and walls in the various cells that lined the walls. It was easy to do the proverbial math and understand the purpose this place once served.
Aris clenched a fist. To think someone would want to hurt Raphtalia...the girl he found out he loved more than anything...it made him want to do unspeakably violent things.
Raphtalia, meanwhile, remembered it all.
She remembered the torture she had to endure - and how she stayed strong through it all, refusing to give Idol the satisfaction of a pained cry.
She remembered hearing her closest friends, Rifana and Keel, screaming in utter agony as Idol whipped them for no reason other than being alive.
She remembered being sold off to someone else, being forced to leave Rifana and Keel behind.
Raphtalia stopped in place, clenching the bars of an empty cell, quivering as the memories flooded her mind.
Aris held her shoulder, reassuring her that he was there.
Reichnott's voice called out from deeper in the dungeon. "Survivors! Two of them!"
Raphtalia shot to her feet. Could it be...?
Sora unlocked the door with his Keyblade, revealing an imprisoned and sick Demi-Human girl with a petite frame. She bore the ears and tail of a timber wolf.
Raphtalia gasped. "Keel...!"
She ran inside as soon as Sora finished unlocking the door and threw her arms around Keel.
"R-Raphtalia...?" Keel said, her voice having gone hoarse. "Is...Is that really you?"
Raphtalia nodded excitedly. "Yes, it's me! I-I'm back!"
Keel smiled. "You...You kept your promise...you really did come back to save us..."
Raphtalia hugged her friend. "I could never leave you behind."
Keel looked over Raphtalia's shoulder. "Wh-Who are your friends?"
"I'm traveling with the Swordsman Shield Hero and his friends," replied Raphtalia.
Keel gasped. "Y-You mean...him?" Keel tried to free herself from her shackles, which Sora took care of with his Keyblade. "I...I heard rumors about a Shield Hero being summoned - one who could somehow use a sword. And...he's here?"
Raphtalia motioned to Aris, who gave Keel an elixir. "Drink this," he said. "It should heal your wounds."
Keel didn't hesitate to pop the cork and down the contents of the bottle, already feeling better. "Th-Thank you..."
"Keel...?" another voice rasped. "What's...going on?"
Raphtalia shot to her feet. "Rifana!"
Sora once again unlocked the cell and let Raphtalia inside to reunite with her childhood friend.
Rifana, a Demi-Human girl with platinum blonde hair and weasel features, smiled through the pain of her wounds. "I...I knew you'd come back, Raphtalia..."
"Like I said, I could never leave you behind." Aris tossed Raphtalia another elixir, which she gave to Rifana.
Rifana drank the bottle and Sora unlocked her shackles. "I...I heard something about the...the Swordsman Shield Hero."
Aris stepped forward. "...That would be me."
Rifana gasped. "Y-You're...You're really him...?"
Aris nodded.
Keel staggered out of her cell. "E-Everyone else is dead...or sold off. Rifana and I are the only ones."
"B-But I don't understand," said Raphtalia. "How did you two survive so long?"
"We kept holding on to the hope you'd come back," replied Rifana. "We stayed strong, just like you did whenever Idol tortured you."
"You were always the best of us, Raphtalia," said Keel.
With tears in her eyes, Raphtalia embraced her two friends. "I missed you so much..."
Raphtalia suddenly began to sob.
"R-Raphtalia?" Rifana looked worried.
"I...I know I was able to come back for you guys, but..." Raphtalia could barely speak through her tears. "...I...I couldn't save everyone else...I couldn't save anyone else...All I did was come back and rescue two people..."
"But you came back," said Keel. "That's what matters."
"Then why does it hurt so much!?" Raphtalia cried. "Why does it hurt so much seeing you two!? You're the only ones left! I...I couldn't save them...I tried...I tried and I failed them all..."
"Raphtalia."
Aris intervened, moving Raphtalia's head to make eye contact with her. "You did nothing wrong. Their blood is not on your hands - it's on Idol's. And he's gone now."
Raphtalia was silent.
Aris continued, "If I hadn't met you, I don't think I would have been able to bring myself out of the emotional hole I was in when Malty betrayed me. I never would be as strong as I am now without you by my side. The reason I'm the way I am now is because you were there for me back then. You helped me reunite with Loretta...and helped me meet Filo, Melty, Ness, Sora, even Cloud. I..." Aris now had tears in his eyes, too, "I don't know what I would've done without you."
"See, Raphtalia?" said Rifana. "Look how much you've grown! You went from a sick, dying slave girl to a powerful warrior - a warrior who has the honor of fighting alongside the Shield Hero himself! I...I don't know if I could've done that."
"It was you who kept your friends alive, Raphtalia," said Aris. "It was you who survived disaster and kept moving forward despite the pain of losing your parents. It was you who brought me from the darkness of my own hatred and into the light of my friends. And...it's you who I...I..."
Aris took a breath. "Who I love more than anything or anyone else in the world."
Raphtalia gasped. Did...Did he just... Her mind raced a mile a minute.
A tremor suddenly shook the ground.
"An earthquake?" Reichnott wondered aloud.
Sora shook his head. "This is no earthquake."
NEW CREATURE DISCOVERED (HOSTILE)
Tyrant Dragon Rex
Species: Dragon
Habitat: Unknown
DESC: A gargantuan, bipedal monster of the Dragon species.
"How'd this thing get here!?" Ness exclaimed.
"Someone from Idol's retinue must have summoned it, or something!" Reichnott shouted in response.
Everyone bolted out of the Tyrant's line of sight, ducking into a nearby alleyway.
"Sir, get Rifana and Keel to safety," Aris instructed. "We will distract the monster."
"I'll get them out of here," said Reichnott as Rifana and Keel stood with him.
"Raphtalia, are you sure you'll be okay?" asked a worried Rifana.
Raphtalia patted her friend's shoulder. "I'll be fine. Aris and I have fought worse."
The Tyrant's head suddenly burst through a nearby building. The beast had found them.
"How'd it know where we are!?" Sora yelled.
"Stupid dragon!" Filo charged with reckless abandon.
"Filo, come back!" Ness cried.
Filo, luckily, didn't get eaten this time. She slammed her foot into the Tyrant's jaw. The attack did almost nothing. Filo retreated.
"We have to lure it out of here," Cloud reasoned. "But how do we do that?"
"With Filo," Aris realized. "Look at her belly, and then look at the dragon's."
Both of their midsections were glowing purple.
"That crystal!" Raphtalia remembered. "From when we fought the zombie dragon! That might be why it's after Filo!"
"Which means she can lure it out of here!" Ness finished.
"Everyone, get ready!" Aris commanded.
He summoned and mounted Epona.
Raphtalia, Ness, Loretta, and Cloud mounted Filo.
Sora summoned his Keyblade Glider.
As soon as Reichnott, Rifana, and Keel were all out of sight, Aris and his party - plus Cloud, who seemed to have spontaneously joined them - all fled the town with the Tyrant Dragon Rex hot on their heels.
Filo ran across the rooftops, keeping the Tyrant's attention as everyone followed her lead. Aris pointed ahead. "Run into that forest!"
"One step ahead, papa!"
Filo jumped from a building into the dense woodlands as the dragon kept up its pursuit.
"How far are we going?" Ness hollered over the sound of the dragon's roar.
"As far away as we possibly can go!" Aris replied, raising his own voice.
The dragon burst through the town's wall and continued giving chase, bashing down trees with its strong head. It let out another earsplitting roar.
"I think I see a clearing up ahead!" shouted Loretta.
Sure enough, Filo broke through the tree line into a wide open clearing with a large lake in the center.
Aris nodded. "This area will do. Everyone, prepare for battle!"
He dismounted Epona and drew the Master Sword. Raphtalia drew her own blade. Filo got into a defensive stance as Cloud, Loretta, and Ness dismounted.
Cloud drew his massive mechanical blade, called his Fusion Sword.
Sora summoned his Keyblade.
Loretta drew her blasters.
Ness held out his hand, channeling psychic energy.
The dragon burst through the tree line not a moment too soon.
"Air Strike Shield!"
Aris's green shield apparition appeared right in front of him, halting the dragon's charge.
The beast, however, broke right through with relative ease. Everyone jumped away from its gaping maw, avoiding a bite that surely would have killed them.
Filo delivered a powerful talon strike to the Tyrant's underbelly. Sora held out his Keyblade. "Thunder!"
A storm cloud appeared above the monster's head, riddling it with lightning bolts.
"PK Flash!"
The dragon was temporarily blinded and stunned by a burst of psychic energy.
Cloud and Raphtalia charged with their swords. Neither blade could cut through the dragon's flesh, glancing off the beast's leg with two loud clangs of metal on metal.
Loretta peppered one of the dragon's eyes with blaster beams, which did absolutely nothing.
"We're not hurting it!" Ness cried.
And we only have so much stamina, Aris realized. That means...I'll have to call upon the Fierce Deity.
Before he could act on his thoughts, however, a voice in his mind - not his own voice - stopped him.
Don't.
A form of mist suddenly swirled across the clearing.
"Magic mist..." Raphtalia realized.
"You mean we're trapped here?" asked Sora.
Raphtalia's ears suddenly perked up. "Wait, I hear footsteps! And lots of them, too!"
A large flock of familiar birds burst from the tree line, encircling the dragon.
"Chocobos!?" Cloud exclaimed.
"Filolials!" Ness corrected.
Aris gritted his teeth, attempting to once again call upon the Fierce Deity.
Don't do it.
The voice intruded his mind again.
"Who's there!? Who are you!?" Aris demanded. "Where are you!?"
A giant figure suddenly leaped out of the lake. Aris looked up.
The shadow of a massive white Filolial loomed over him.
"So cool...!" Filo breathed.
The giant Filolial landed in front of the Tyrant Dragon Rex, ready to face it down. She turned to Aris and his party. "Wait there."
Her massive voice echoed through the clearing.
She turned back to the dragon. "Your body seemed to have an adverse reaction to the fragment of the Dragon Emperor and grew beyond control," she reasoned, as if speaking to the beast. "If you relinquish the fragment now, I will allow you to keep your life if you remove yourself from this place immediately afterward."
The Tyrant roared, as if telling her no.
The giant Filolial sighed. "So be it, then."
She dragged one foot across the ground. As soon as the dragon was just about to reach her, she brought her foot up with extreme speed, as if hitting the dragon with an uppercut.
The monster staggered back, still landing on its feet. It roared again. Its maw gave way to a jet of orange flame, which hurtled toward the giant Filolial.
With a sweep of her wing, she summoned a barrier to protect her.
"I will end this."
The giant Filolial seemed to disappear with her immense speed, reappearing behind the dragon as its body erupted with blood. The Tyrant let out a roar of agony. It fell on its side, landing in the shallows of the lake.
The giant Filolial reached into its corpse, pulling out a large purple crystal and pocketing it within her feathers.
She turned to Aris, her large pink eyes gazing down at him. "You are the Swordsman Shield Hero, I take it?"
Aris nodded.
"There are many things I wish to discuss with you," said the giant Filolial, "as well as your Filolial companion. But I'm afraid my current form is not suitable for this. One moment, please."
Blue light engulfed the giant Filolial's body, which began to shrink and take a humanoid shape. Her human form was somewhat similar to Filo's. She now had short white hair and a flowing gown.
"Allow me to introduce myself," she said, her voice no longer pronounced enough to echo through the clearing. "I am Fitoria, the queen of the Filolials."
"Whoa!" Filo seemed excited. "Papa, do you think I'll be as big as her one day?"
"I doubt I could properly take care of you if you were that big." Aris chuckled, patting Filo on the head.
"Growing to such a size would take twelve times the lifespan of a normal Filolial," explained Fitoria.
"So, that's how long you've been alive?" asked Sora.
Fitoria nodded.
"Well," she said. "I've introduced myself, so I believe it's your turn. Please, tell me your names."
Aris went first. "I am Aris Harkinian Atreides, the Swordsman Shield Hero."
"And I'm his sister, Loretta Nohansen Atreides."
"Cloud Strife."
"I'm Sora!"
"Name's Ness Itoi."
"I'm Raphtalia. It's nice to meet you."
"Likewise," said Fitoria.
"And I'm Filo!" sang Filo.
"With that taken care of," said Aris, "Fitoria, thank you for eliminating that monster. But, what do you want with us?"
"It's a long story, and I'm afraid this place isn't suitable for that," said Fitoria. "I will take you to my sanctuary and explain there."
Her flock of Filolials moved aside to reveal a beautiful carriage.
Raphtalia got out of Fitoria's carriage in shock. "What just happened?"
"Some kind of instant travel mechanism, it looked like," Cloud remarked.
"These ruins..." Aris breathed. "Imagine the history behind all of them."
"These ruins are said to be what remains of the original civilization the Cardinal Heroes once protected," Fitoria explained. "At least...that's what I've been told. These ruins have been like this since before I was born. But it is now my job to watch over them. Normally, I'm not supposed to bring people here. But I decided now would be a good time to...ignore such statutes."
"Which means we'll be safe here for now," Ness reasoned.
A low growl resounded in the area. Aris drew the Master Sword.
"Sorry, papa," Filo moaned. "That was my tummy."
"In that case, I'll prepare dinner," said Aris.
He immediately got to work starting a fire and setting up a cooking pot before making enough food to serve everyone. The soup he prepared was a healthy medley of meat and vegetables, with some spices mixed in for added flavor.
He passed bowls out to everyone present before serving them their soup.
Everyone began digging in without hesitation.
Fitoria swallowed a hearty bite of soup. "Your cooking is perhaps the best I've ever tasted. But, then again...that isn't really saying much, since I don't eat hot meals very often."
"You don't?" said Filo. "That's not good. Papa, we should visit here more often so Fitoria can enjoy more of your food!"
"I think that might be a good idea," Aris agreed, "but only if Fitoria is alright with it."
"As much as I would appreciate visits," said Fitoria, "you all have your duties to focus on."
"Right."
Everyone continued eating.
The Filolial flock, meanwhile, looked on in what looked like jealousy.
Fitoria chuckled. "It seems my retinue wishes to try some, as well."
"I would make some more for them," said Aris, "but I'm afraid I don't have enough ingredients. And my pot is much too small."
"That can be fixed," said Fitoria. She turned to her Filolials. "Everyone, bring the Swordsman Shield Hero your best ingredients and the biggest pots you have!"
The Filolials rushed off to meet the demands of their queen, eventually returning with several large pots and a myriad of ingredients for Aris.
The Hylian immediately got cooking, serving meat and vegetable soup to every Filolial just as he had every person.
Once everyone had finished eating, Aris had stepped away from the group to gather his thoughts. Fitoria approached him.
Aris turned to her. "Do the Filolials want seconds?"
Fitoria shook her head. "I would love to have more of your cooking, but I'm full right now, and...there is something I must discuss with you. Come with me."
Fitoria walked through her sanctuary as Aris followed behind.
"That monster you were battling when I arrived," said Fitoria. "How did it come to be released from its seal?"
"I thought you knew how, since you came to our rescue," Aris replied.
"I was there because I had been told that a new candidate to be my successor had been found," Fitoria explained.
"You...mean Filo?"
"Yes." Fitoria nodded.
"While we're on the subject of Filo," said Aris, "may I ask something about her?"
"Go ahead."
"She's been growing in a way very different from any other Filolial," Aris told her. "Why is that?"
"She's like me," replied Fitoria, "in that she is being raised by a Cardinal Hero. "But, anyway, why was that monster released from its seal?"
Aris filled her in on the happenings at Idol Rabier's mansion - as well as some other details such as his quarrel with the other Heroes and his status as Melromarc's public enemy number one.
Fitoria looked angry.
"You're...mad?"
"Of course I am," said Fitoria. "The Cardinal Heroes can't be squabbling amongst themselves. Especially not when the next Wave approaches. And Princess Melty being kidnapped by pirates? I won't have it."
"Melty's kidnapping wasn't our fault," Aris pointed out.
"I know that."
"And the other three Heroes were the ones to start this feud, not me."
"That doesn't change the fact that the Shield Hero has always been shunned by human supremacist countries," Fitoria pointed out.
"And that's why we're trying to cross the border," said Aris. Before he could say any more, Fitoria cut him off.
"That won't solve a thing," said Fitoria. "You must work things out with the Cardinal Heroes." She stopped and turned to look at Aris. "Humans and Demi-Humans may be against each other, but the Heroes mustn't be under any circumstances."
Aris followed her to the end of the path on which they walked. Fitoria stopped and sat down, beginning to stack some stones on top of each other. "You know about the Hourglass, don't you?" she said. "All four Heroes certainly should by now."
"We know about it, yes," said Aris.
"Then why are you only fighting the Waves in Melromarc instead of across the world?"
Aris's eyes widened. "Wait a second, what!?"
"The Waves happen everywhere," Fitoria explained. "The four Heroes are meant to go to one country each whenever a Wave arrives."
"I wasn't informed of this."
Fitoria continued, "I have been traveling the world in your stead whenever I am needed, but the four of you aren't helping anywhere else."
"In my defense," said Aris, "I didn't know other countries had their own Hourglasses until fairly recently."
"Honestly?" Fitoria stacked another stone. "The affairs of humanity don't concern me. I only fight the Waves on behalf of the Heroes because the one who raised me asked me to do so."
"Was it a request?" asked Aris. "Or an order?"
"My job is to protect the world and keep people safe," said Fitoria. "But I cannot do it alone. This is why the Cardinal Heroes are needed."
"You seem more capable than all four of us combined," Aris pointed out.
"That is true for now," said Fitoria. "But...eventually..." Her stack of stones finally fell, "...I won't be able to do enough."
"Which is why you need the assistance of the Heroes," Aris reasoned.
"In any case, a different subject," said Fitoria. "Filo. She is my current choice for who will be my successor as Filolial Queen."
"Which means...?"
"Tomorrow, at dawn, I will give her a trial," Fitoria explained. "If she passes, she will earn her place as my successor."
"What does this trial entail?" asked Aris.
"I cannot tell you," said Fitoria. "Filo must find out for herself."
"Is this the place?" asked Itsuki.
"Looks like it," replied Ren.
Their mages stepped forward, holding out their hands and casting a spell to open a magic door. The door gave way to reveal a staircase descending underground.
"That confirms it," said Ituski. "The Three Heroes Church is definitely hiding something."
Ren sighed, looking at the Rosary in his hand. "He was right. There is something fishy going on here."
The Sword and Bow Heroes descended the staircase into a dimly lit room.
"It's...some kind of archive," Itsuki reasoned. "Look at all these books."
What they failed to notice was a figure in a dark robe and turban, standing around a nearby corner, chuckling to himself.
"Oh, you meddling fools," he quietly crooned. "You've fallen right into my trap."
